Mini flight stabilisers

[Denis Watkins]

Keep going Jeff, you will sort it, as they do work on all channels trouble free

The benefits are worth the faff

And it sounds maybe you do have something irregular going on

[Martin McIntosh]

May well be a voltage problem. See my post somewhere above on the subject. They seem to be fine on 5V.

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Martin

Running off an esc with a 5v bec, exactly the same as on the first one I converted. Even if it was a voltage problem, still doesn't explain why it's only the aileron servos that are affected.

Rudder and elevator work fine.

Still convinced it's a faulty unit. Wait to see what BG come back with.

Bet they ask me to photograph the issue. How do you photograph a buzz? Answers on a postcard please.

Jeff

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Guys

Got a reply back from BG, nice and quick.

Guess what?

They asked me to photograph the fault. In my previous post I asked the question, how do you photograph a buzz'.

Since I was not flooded with answers I assume that still remains a problem.

However it does prove what I have long suspected.

Given that I told them all this in my first e-mail, pretty obvious they didn't read it through.

Ho hum

Jeff

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Guys

Seems like no-one has posted on here for a while, so I thought I'd add my impressions of the two NX3's I now have in use.

So, first one went in a Pheonix 1.6Mtr glider. Had this one for a while and it flies pretty well even without stabilisation.

Only two issues it had were a tendency to balloon up on opening throttle, and getting blown about by the wind on the landing approach.

Had tried to cure the first by changing the incidence of the tail, and adding some down elevator with throttle.

They provided a partial cure, but never could get rid of it completely, until I fitted the stab.

Now I can bang the throttle open at any speed and it keeps flying straight, just faster.

Good news

The other thing is particular to my field, because it has hedges on the landing approach. Any sort of breeze, and these cause turbulence just when you least need it, low and slow.

Now it just ignores the turbulence as if it wasn't there. Makes my landings so much better, although, if asked, it was down to pilot skill !!!!

So, on that model, results well worth it.

Second model was a Mini Capiche from the Malcolm Corbin plan.

This is a small light aerobat, which again flies very well, except in any sort of breeze, where the light weight leads to it being blown about a bit.

Fitted the stab and the difference was remarkable. One thing I noticed was that the aileron response seemed a bit slower. On the forums I read the stab makes the model fly like a much larger one, which is consistent with slower aileron response, so no biggy.

Main thing is its response to wind, it doesn't have any! Flying a few days ago in quite a stiff breeze, I was able, even flying crosswind, to take my hands off the controls completely and it still flew straight and level until I pointed it somewhere else.

So, taken a nice flying model and made it even better.

Win-win in my book.

Jeff

[Capt Kremen]

NX3 users, How much, (relative to the 'clock' description), do you have the pots dialled in on your aircraft?

I now have several NX3 installed on different airframes. So far all seem happy with no more than '9' (or '3' o'clock relative to the required servo direction. Tried a little more and certainly on aileron control, the model 'waggled' its wings, wasn't too happy. The pots seem very sensitive once they start to 'bite' and are active, (no two pots appear quite the same!). Models include a 'Uno-Wot', 'WOT Trainer' and a high wing cabin semi scale - Spans up to 60+ inch.

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Capt K

On the Pheonix I started with the pots a 10/2 as recommended, and also reduced the overall gain (ch5 atv) to 50%.

Been so good on those settings, can't see any reason to change.

On the Capiche I started with the pots at 3/9 and the overall gain at 60%. Nearly spot on, but I got a little wing wobble on hard turns, so reduced the aileron pot to 10/2.

Been fine on those settings

Jeff

[Denis Watkins]

Posted by Denis Watkins on 07/07/2020 20:43:31:

Best advice is in most makes instructions, to have a trimmed aeroplane before the gyro is connected.

Once trimmed, set the gain to its lowest where any movement, you can just hear the servos move.

[Martin McIntosh]

Must try mine again. Only flown one successfully in an Extra 300, the other was in a Limbo Dancer which crashed due to a power failure I think. I really want to try one in my 48" Dalotel which is a fantastic model in calm conditions. I shall use the one from the Extra since it has been flight tested OK. Thanks for reminding me about these.

[Martin McIntosh]

Put the tested one in my Dalotel yesterday but with the 6V Eneloop fully charged the servos jittered about all over the place so have fitted a 5V UBEC. Works fine on the bench but with the model assembled making the NX3 LED invisible it takes a long time before the unit will switch on, usually with the servos giving a large twitch.

It is now on a JR DSX9 and operated by a three position switch with the heading hold side at 0% and the stab. side at 100%, just the same as it was in the Extra. I was going to flight test it tomorrow but since it is now in a rather nice model I am not so sure unless I can get it to turn on correctly.

Anyone else experienced this and what did you do about it?

[Colin Naylar]

I have a fitted a NX3 in my Mignon (Wot4 lookalike from a free RCME plan). First time I've used a stabilizer and it seems to work very well. I just wondered if I have set its initial position correctly. It is on the floor of the aircraft, and as its a taildragger, it is not parallel to the ground. Should I lift the tail so that the fuselage is 'level' and then re-initialise the NX3 before a flight? I'm not so sure about how these things work, do they relate themselves to 'levelness' or to their original position? If the latter then surely they would make the plane fly in a nose up attitude?

[Denis Watkins]

Yes Colin

Do the Re-learn centre position for final set up

Woops, yes, lift the tail for level flight and re-initialise

Start off with a pre-trimmed model

And turn the pots down so as you just hear the servos operate

You should not see huge surface movent

Edited By Denis Watkins on 22/09/2020 14:30:27

[Colin Naylar]

Thanks Denis, I assume you mean 'Yes, lift the tail so that the fuze is parallel to the ground and then reset the NX3' ?

[Colin Naylar]

Thanks for the edit Dennis, I'll try that.

[Martin McIntosh]

If you are not I hope using heading hold then there should be no reason to keep the model level at switch on (such as you may have to on a quad with self levelling as I see it).

Any ideas yet as to my problem posted above?

[Jeffrey Cottrell 2]

Hi Guys

Martin

Yes, it does take a few seconds for the unit to initialise and it does signal that by cycling the controls once. Nothing you have described makes me think 'faulty unit'.

Not quite sure why you were having an issue running Eneloops, but seems to be working ok on the Ubec.

My advice would be to get it up high (three mistakes) and switch the unit on and see what happens.

good luck.

Colin

I have one fitted in a tail dragger, and I have always switched it on its wheels, and never needed to re-initialise at flight attitude.

Works perfectly for me.

Jeff

[Martin McIntosh]

Thanks for the reply Jeff.

It is often rather more than a few seconds though, more like 30-45.

Regarding the NiMh`s, it was fine on a partially discharged pack but could not handle the voltage after a recharge even after several minutes of use. They do say 5-6V and it looks like much over 6 cannot be handled.

[Colin Naylar]

Thanks Jeffery, I'll try both...

[Denis Watkins]

Martin has hit the " Nail on the head " with 5v.

TTL, Transistor to Transistor Logic, in Microchips works at 5v.

The little Black Boxes seen on circuit boards contain Integrated Circuits that work at 5v, same voltage on your computer USB output.

My lack of problems with these airborne units is pure luck due to flying fixed wing I/C on 4 cell at 4.8v.